His Guardian Angel
by ChibiChouChou
Summary: USUK, was a Christmas gift for my friend Ashley who loves this pairing. Review, please  Sorry for any emotions felt.  Sadness, etc.


Curses.

Spells.

Enchantments.

Nothing but mere child's play to the young man with bushy brows.

He sighed.

He wanted something more, something true. He left his home, needing to find something.. someone...

He felt empty.

Arthur was his name. Spells and magic was his game.

Was.

Never more.

The child ran freely, nothing holding him back.

Carefree, but alone.

He was too young to understand what was missing in his life...

So, all he did was play.

The young lad was tired, so, he lay himself under a tree. Slowly... drifting... into... sleep...

Dreams took hold of the small, happy times were playing in his head.

However; what was this? Who...?

The boy never understood why this figure came to him, in fact, it frightened him.

There was no face, that is why he was afraid.

This figure, though, always held him, making him feel warm and loved.

Arthur was still unsure about what to do.

He walked around, out of the corner of his eye, he noticed a wolf...

And.. the wolf was slowly moving in for the kill, but for what?

Arthur followed the gaze of the wolf's, a child..?

A child!

The wolf was going to kill a poor child!

Arthur moved quickly, by the time the wolf jumped in for the killing blow, it was intercepted by the arm of the British man, he'd not allow harm to befall an innocent child sleeping! He tried his hardest to keep the struggle quiet, though the growls seemed to make the child wake.

Fear had taken over the small boys face, he didn't run though, he just watched in horror, finally, the wolf gave up, leaving without any food. Arthur huffed, his arm a bloody mess, he was just glad he saved the small child from death.

The boy had began to cry, Arthur turned to him, hugging him, "What's wrong, small one?"

The boy just sobbed, clinging to Arthur.

"Do.. you have any place to go?"

The boy shook his head.

Home it was, then.

He'd take the child under his wing.

Years passed, the child grew to a teen, a man.

Even after that horrible war... that... day..

The day Arthur's heart was torn from his chest and stomped on...

He still loved and cared for Alfred, even if the man didn't need protecting, and he could handle himself...

When people would talk ill of him, Arthur was there, ready to fight.

He'd never allow anything bad to happen to this man...

Though, in his eyes, was still an innocent child.

He loved Alfred, he truly cared for him...

Years later, Arthur fell ill.

So ill, he could only stay in bed.

Alfred came as soon as he heard the news. He'd stay by Arthur's side, till he got better.

Only..

Things got worse.

Arthur's sickness only got worse.

He was so weak, he could hardly move, he didn't even have energy to eat.

It tore at Alfred's heart to see the man who saved him, who raised him, who did so much for him to be so weak...

"Arthur..." moving hair from the Englishman's face, Alfred looked down on him with a sadness, "Thank you. For everything. I know you're strong enough to decide on your fate... and whatever it be, I'll stick by you. Forever. You've always been there for me, you've always protected me, and you even taught me how to defend myself. Please... be the man I know and love, the man who kept me safe, even when he could hardly keep himself safe... Arthur..."

The Englishman just looked at Alfred, smiling weakly, his green eyes were so dull, he placed a hand on the American's cheek, "Forgive me..." his hand was cold against Alfred's flesh, "I... know how much... seeing me like this must kill you... forgive me..."

Alfred couldn't hold the tears back, "You idiot! You're not going to give up! You can't! Stop saying sorry, you're never sorry, you're strong! Come on, you can do it! Arthur..."

Arthur's smile faded, he wiped the tears from Alfred's face, his voice so hoarse, it took a lot out of him to just speak, he was sure Alfred knew this.

"Alfred... people come and go, it's your choice to forget them, or keep them in your heart..." the sick man pulled a book out from under his pillow, placing it in Alfred's hands, "When I perish, read that..."

"When! WHEN! You're never going to die! Stop talking! You're too weak, stop, just... stop...!" He choked his words out. He loved this man, he did. He was his best friend, the one who was always there, even when the world seemed to have turned its back on him. Arthur. Truly, he was the hero.

Arthur closed his eyes, he was so tired, "Never forget me, Alfred... I.. love you."

Alfred held onto Arthur's hand, "Listen to me, you idiot... I love you, you're my best friend. I can never forget you. You're my hero. I'm only here, because of you."

Arthur smiled weakly again, "Dear friend... you have always been everything that mattered to me..."

Holding onto Alfred's hand, Arthur drifted into sleep... however... he'd not wake.

Not again.

Not ever.

The grip on Alfred's hand became so loose...

So cold...

Alfred's eyes widened, he wanted to shake Arthur, yell at him, tell him to come back, but he just sobbed, placing his head on Arthur's chest. The man he looked up to... now gone...

His best friend.

His savior.

He stayed like that for what seemed like hours, finally placing a kiss to Arthur's cheek, "I'll never forget you." he whispered, knowing it was probably unheard...

He turned to leave, book in hand.

The funeral was a week later.

The book went unread, but stayed in Alfred's hands. No matter what he did, it stayed with him.

Alfred looked to see who had come to say goodbye to Arthur.

There was Ludwig, he looked depressed.

Gilbert, he tried to lighten the mood, but in his eyes, you could see the sorrow.

Elizabeta, Roderich, Vash, and Sweden all talked, grim faces.

Ivan and his sisters were there, they stayed in a corner, silent.

There was Toris, Feliks, Raivis, a few others were with them, they talked, too... though, you could see the sorrow playing over their faces, as well.

Lily was the one looking into the coffin, right there next to her were Arthur's brothers... along with Francis, Antonio...

Francis held Lily as she cried, Alfred walked over to her, resting a hand on her shoulder, there wasn't anything to say.

Francis looked saddest out of them all, Alfred knew the past Arthur had with him, how it was always like walking on thin ice for the two. In the end, though, when it was needed, they always put aside their differences...

Alfred sighed, the sermon began.

Lily sat next to Alfred, "He's always with you."

She didn't look at him when she spoke, but he looked at her confused, "What?"

She smiled slightly, though the sadness never left her emerald green eyes, tears flowed gracefully down her porcelain cheeks, she finally looked at him, "He's always with you." she repeated. Still, Alfred didn't understand.

Lily took Alfred's hand in her own, "You'll understand. When you feel alone, and you feel a slight tug on your heart. When you're faced with a tough decision, or in the face of danger... you'll understand."

Alfred thought the small girl had gone insane, but her words washed over him, an odd comforting feeling taking hold of his body... as if... someone were holding him.

That feeling never left, though when he moved, it moved to another part of his body.

He felt someone hold his hand, hug him, brush a hand over his cheek, he was confused.

Everyone left, Lily being the last, as Vash and Francis waited for her. Vash only seemed to allow Francis near her this one time, since he was the one who comforted her the most today, before Lily left, she spoke to him again, "He truly loved you... that book? The one, there." she pointed to it, he still held onto it, "You should read it... you'd understand so much more than you do now. Again, he'll always be with you."

Alfred finally left, tucking the book away where it wouldn't get wet, it was raining... hard.

He sighed, looking to the sky, but when he looked back to the earth before him, he nearly had a heart attack.

Arthur?

But, he was in the casket, he was to be buried later that day...

How... what was going on?

Arthur approached Alfred, as Alfred took a few steps back, Arthur smiled, holding out a hand, he didn't say anything. Usual Arthur move, there. He hardly spoke when something serious came to be between him and the American.

Alfred just stood there, scared.

Arthur's smile faded, he was... crying...

But, yet, he looked transparent...

He held his hand out once again.

Alfred took a deep breath in, grabbing hold of the hand, he was sure his would slip on through, that he was just going insane, but when his hand connected with Arthur's, Lily's voice chimed in, "Always."

Alfred felt he understood now... what she meant was, even in life, Arthur protected him. And now, in death, he could truly be his Guardian Angel, he'd always be there for him, to keep him safe, to make him feel loved.

"I miss you.." Alfred spoke, his voice shaking.

Arthur smiled once again, nodding, placing his hand to Alfred's cheek, the touch being so familiar, it was warm.

Alfred allowed his tears to flow again, "Why did you have to go? Why..? Everyone is so sad, and poor Lily, she... she..." Arthur only continued to smile, looking at him like he understood, it seemed as if he couldn't speak.

As if, in death, there was no voice. There was, though, only... it reverberated in the soul, echoing to the heart, body, and mind.

He heard Arthur's voice:

Never forget me.

I'll always be here, and I know...

Lily was crushed...

She looked so sad, even with her doll-like looks...

Such a beautiful crying Angel she'll be...

She told you to read that book, do it.

You'll understand. Trust her, trust me...

When you cannot hear me, she will be the vessel you'll hear me in...

Arthur embraced Alfred, Alfred's heart felt whole again.

He returned home, still sopping wet, he opened the book.

Pictures...

Pictures of when he was small, and as he grew, to when he was an adult.

All dealt with Arthur.

All looked happy.

All but the ones dealing with the day Alfred got his independence.

Arthur wrote:

Today, as I walked, feeling my usual emptiness, I found a small boy. He almost died today, but I did all I could to protect him. I don't know if he'll ever remember this deed, but even if he doesn't, all I can say is, as he lay here on my lap, resting, out of the cold, he seems so much more happier to have a home...

No matter what happens in the future, this boy...

His home will always be with me, even if he never realizes it.

I'll do whatever I can to keep him safe. He's given me reason to continue living, to continue being who, and what, I am.

I may never admit this but...

I love the lad. I can tell you this now, when he's older...

He'll amount to great and wonderful things...

Alfred continued reading, everything in this book praised him. The day he learned how to shoot. The way he looked like a gentleman in his suit.

He laughed, he cried...

There were times he thought Arthur hated him, but this...?

This proved him so very wrong.

Arthur loved him. He cared about him, he did all he could do in his life to prove it, even though Alfred never truly noticed. As he read, he felt as if someone had been holding him, arms draped over his shoulders, head resting on his shoulder, pressed ever so lightly against his head. Arthur...

Alfred smiled, he knew now that in the end, even when they had fought so much, Arthur truly cared.

The time to bury his friend had come, everyone gathered, they all spoke, saying wonderful things, telling stories.

Lily's turn.

She looked at Alfred the entire time,

"Arthur was a wonderful man." she began...

"He is the friend we shall miss, the father we'll never have, the lover who fought to keep love at it's best.

The Angel who protected us. I, myself, did not know Arthur very well, nor was I close to him... but the times I got to spend with him were full of laughter, agreed, his cooking was horrible" she smiled, everyone chuckled, nodding slightly, Alfred felt a flick on his ear, he figured it was Arthur, telling him: You grew up on that, shut up.

He chuckled to himself, Arthur was still the same..

She continued to speak:

"He taught me how to be more patient. He taught me how to embroider things...

He told me so many times... my family is most important, and so are my friends.

He also told me to cherish the little things.

All the fights, all the 'I love you's...

He told me to never forget one minute of it."

Tears streamed down her cheeks, the clouds still hung low, but there was no rain.

"His past with us all may not be great.

He may have enemies... but in the end, we all truly cared for him..

And the lesson he's left us with is:

No matter who we are to one another, all that matters is that we show we care."

She finished her speech.

She might look innocent, and she may look like a doll, but she was wise.

Alfred understood that she learned from Arthur, lessons he had ignored.

He knew now why she was the one Arthur could speak through.

She had a connection to him, and to Alfred.

His name...

Was Arthur.

He was, and is, England.

A man we may not know, but he is all.

He was the beginning.

He is the end.

I end this story now, speaking from the heart of someone who knew this man dearly.

My name?

Alfred.

Alfred Jones.

I am America.

I was taken under this man's wing, and to this day, even in death, he is my best friend, and he is always there for me.


End file.
